United Way Day of Caring Kick-Off

The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley will have its 15th annual Day of Caring and 2012 Campaign Kick-Off Breakfast on Friday at 8 a.m. at the Covelli Centre in downtown Youngstown.

The United Way Day of Caring is a community-wide day of hands-on volunteering. More than 400 employees of 48 area companies will participate by completing tasks, odd jobs, and organizing activities for 35 local nonprofit organizations. Projects may consist of painting, construction, landscaping, cleaning or home repairs.

Donation to food bank

YOUNGSTOWN

Macy’s donated $1,400 to Second Harvest Food Bank to support the BackPack Program at Warren City Schools. The program provides 150 children food over the weekends during the school year. The funds will be used to help sustain the program throughout the 2012-13 school year.

It is designed to meet the needs of children when other resources for food are not available, such as weekends and holidays. In the Mahoning Valley, BackPack Programs are serving Warren, Struthers and Campbell elementary schools, providing food to 375 children each week.

For more information on how you can help feed our friends and neighbors, please visit www.mahoningvalleysecondharvest.org or call 330-792-5522.

Prostate cancer run

YOUNGSTOWN

The Blue Ribbon Run for prostate cancer awareness will be Sunday at 9 a.m. It will start in Wick Park, travel through the north side of Youngstown and end back in Wick Park.

For more information or to register, go online to http://www.manupmv.com/blue-ribbon-10k2.

Acute Rehab Unit gains accreditation

YOUNGSTOWN

St. Elizabeth Health Center’s Acute Rehabilitation Unit was notified by CARF International of its accreditation in the adult, children and stroke specialty programs.

This three-year accreditation is an indication of St. Elizabeth’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served, according to the letter from Brian Boon, CARF president and CEO, about the accreditation.

The Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County will have a session from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday for those interested in volunteer opportunities. The session will be at the shelter’s facility at 1218 West State St. in New Castle.

Volunteers can help support victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault, answer the hotline, accompany victims through the court process, provide child care, fundraising, landscaping, clerical work and community awareness.

Training sessions will be offered every Tuesday from Sept. 18 through Dec. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. Call 724-652-9036 to register.

Senior program to discuss patient rights

WARREN

St. Joseph Health Center’s seniors program is scheduled for Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in the hospital classrooms on the second floor of the A building. The guest speaker will be Lucy Falatic, St. Joseph’s patient advocate and manager of volunteer services, who will discuss patients’ rights in the hospital and other concerns about health.

Cost of the program is $4, which includes the program, lunch and prizes. Reservations must be made by Friday by calling 330-841-4375. The hospital’s seniors program is designed for area residents age 55 and older. It is sponsored by St. Joseph volunteers.

Sepsis awareness

YOUNGSTOWN

Humility of Mary Health Partners’ sepsis coordinator, Rhonda Gluckner, has planned several activities for Sepsis Awareness Month in September that are designed to advise both staff and the public about this deadly disease.

The activities begin today with an educational display outside the St. Elizabeth Health Center cafeteria at 10:30 a.m., and then Tuesday, an educational display will be outside the St. Joseph Health Center cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Sept. 14, there will be nursing grand rounds with Dr. Digvijay Singh presenting on sepsis in two presentations at 11:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Lunch will be provided, and continuing-education credits will be available. On Sept. 18, an educational display will be outside the St. Elizabeth Health Center-Boardman’s Terrace Cafe from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Sept. 29 at Camelot Lanes there will be a bowling event from 7 to 9 p.m. to raise money for future sepsis- awareness projects throughout Humility of Mary Health Partners.